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Posted at 4:14 AM ET, 01/ 6/2011

CES: Motorola unveils new tablet, phones

By
Cecilia Kang

LAS VEGAS -- Motorola hit the ground running at CES, introducing a Google Android tablet, aimed directly to compete with Apple's iPad, and smart phones to run on high-speed Internet networks of the major carriers.

Motorola on Wednesday introduced its Xoom tablet, with a 10-inch screen and the first to run on Google's new Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system designed for tablets. It will run on Verizon Wireless 3G network but is upgradable to run on Verizon's 4G high-speed Internet network, the carrier said in a release.

What's different from the iPad? Among other things, the Xoom is equipped with a camera, front facing for video chats over Wi-Fi networks and a 5-megapixel HD camera on back.

We said tablets would be the rage at CES, and companies have not disappointed. Not to be outdone, LG introduced its G-Slate tablet that will also run Google's Honeycomb Android operating system and run on T-Mobile's network.

Motorola also unveiled its Droid Bionic, what Verizon Wireless describes as its first Android phone to run on its 4G LTE network. Verizon will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday on its new device lineup for its high-speed mobile network it launched last month.

For AT&T, Motorola unveiled the Atrix which will run on AT&T's 4G network. And Sprint earlier in the week said it would soon release the EVO Shift, a new version of its popular 4G phone. It also said it will soon launch a MiFi hotspot product.

Earlier this week, Motorola Mobility offiically separated from the company's enterprise and business operations. The company has been working on a comeback after several years of disappointing results and has put its bets on Google's Android operating system for smart phones and tablets to compete with Research in Motion and Apple. Last October, Motorola Mobility reported its first quarter of growth in four years under CEO Sanjay Jha.

Very pretty Motorola but, can it run my Excel, can it run my Word, can it run my PowerPoint, can it run my Access, can it run my Project? And, not just view it, can it edit my Office files. If not, why do I need it?

These tablets are basically NOT a phone, nor a PC and until those issues are resolved there is NO way I am going to shelf my Iphone or buy one of these Ipad look-alikes. Give me a tablet that IS a phone and I'll consider it. Provide apps that run the Microsoft suite, and I'll consider it.

And... it must run no matter where in this world I am! Jet setting to Europe should be transparent to me, the user. Just as I can turn on a radio, I should be able to wi-fi myself into a network.

My recent personal experience with my Iphone in Europe has made me think twice about any so-called smartphone when it's so dumb it can't log on without a horrendous procedure.

I'll keep my $$ and save some money.

Oh yes- and PLEASE agree what's a smartphone and what is a tablet. A PHONE is a PHONE! A smartphone can make and receive calls. The apps provide other whiz kid functions which allow me to read/review and communicate.

Sorry- I'll keep my $$$ until someone demonstrates to me a tablet/Pad that can take and make calls and can run the Microsoft suite.

And- please get the definitions straight. A PHONE makes/receives calls. A smartphone still accomplishes that task. Tablets can't do much of anything in the realm of functional communications.

And, by the way, these fancy devices still can't easily work anywhere in the world. What a shame that I can take my radio anywhere, turn it on and listen. Ive yet to be able to have my cell do that OR be able to log into a wifi hotspot in Europe.

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